184 Essay, Fc. 
same vertical disposition as the caverns; the 
water of the Ocean enters and retires with the 
tide, beating violently against the rocks which 
compose them, and at certain periods, when thc 
waters rise above the common standard, the ac- 
cess to the caverns, always difficult and danger- 
pagi. is entirely impracticable. When this oc- 
curs during the period of collecting the Nests, 
it proves a great annoyance to the natives who 
are employed in this business. 
The collection of the Bired's Nests being a 
very hazardous office, is effected by the inhabi- 
tants of neighbouring hills, who are accustomed 
to if from their infancy. They are denominated 
Tukans, the general term, in Malay, ofa person 
expert in any particular business, or exercising 
a profession. The descent to the external aper- 
ture is performed on a ladder of Rattan, resem- 
bling in some degree the Shronds of a ship, at- 
tached to a rock, tree, or other fixed. substance 
from which it depends perpendicularly. Al- 
though the length is in several instances very 
considerable, the descent and the return, even 
to a person carrying a load, is considered a rifi- 
ing enterprize in comparison with the 
“the nests from the sides of a cave: for this 
bridges, often of considerable length, 
are "constructed of the entire runks of Bambu, 
"Which are placed together longitudinally and 
transversely, and fastened to each other by rat- 
tans; a support to the hand of the collector is 
afforded by a separate rattan, of a large size, 
extended parallel to the bridge, about half a 
man" 's height, and answering to the railing com- 
difficult. passage. These bri bridges are attached 
^ 
